I have discovered that, deep down, each of us secretly cultivates the desire to be elsewhere. It’s as if, despite all the sacrifices made to get to one of the most prestigious universities in the world, we suddenly discover that complete satisfaction is an illusion.
The CGPU-UAW Bargaining Team is a group of eleven Graduate Student Workers and five Postdocs democratically elected to represent their peers in collective bargaining with the Caltech administration.
I have gathered union petition signatures, organized vote parties for union authorization, sent mass emails in support of the union, and spoken in person to most grad students and postdocs in Schlinger, Church, and Crellin for Caltech Grad Researchers and Postdocs United (CGPU). I’m about as pro-union as they come. But right now, CGPU is at best misleading and at worst outright lying about compensation gains in the recent tentative agreement (TA).
We must confess that artificial intelligence has changed the planet. Once upon a time, the man was surprised by the discovery of fire, then metal, cultivation techniques. Then we arrived at more scientific realities such as during the Middle Ages when extraordinary cathedrals were built using heavy tools, pulleys, a form of engineering, right? With the Enlightenment, the greatest scientific discoveries were made such as light with Edison or more specific analyses at an anatomical level.
For the astute eyes on campus, you may have noticed something different about Caltech Hall, specifically the bridge across the pond. But for those who may not know, the bridge going across Caltech Hall Pond has been completely covered in gold leaf. To put it simply, the bridge across Caltech Hall Pond will be closed essentially until the end of Fall term (December 13th), and many of us will have to wait until after the holidays until we can use it again.
Caltech and JPL are enmeshed financially, politically, and scientifically with Raytheon Technologies, a major weapons manufacturer which sells large amounts of weapons to the Israeli Defence Force.
Nearly every aspect of my housing experience has been significantly improved by living off campus, and I would recommend it to everyone who is feeling even the tiniest ounce of frustration with Caltech Housing.
